Two companies pitch competing microtransit plans as Islamorada council hears concerns about capacity and costs

Two companies competing to run Islamorada's on-demand microtransit service answered questions from residents, drivers and village staff at a publicly noticed council workshop, where no decision was made and councilors were told they will consider the bids before selecting a contractor.

Ron Saunders, the village manager, opened the workshop and said the meeting's purpose was informational: "To be clear, there'll be no decisions tonight," he said, noting the Village Council — not staff — will make the final selection.

The two finalists, Bree LLC (doing business as Freebie) and Circuit Transit, each made presentations and fielded questions. Jason Spiegel, Freebie's co-founder and chief executive, emphasized continuity and local ties, saying the company has operated the service since 2018 and that "this community means something very personal to me and to my partner." He described Freebie's proposal as a continuation of an established program, citing a high user rating and average wait times under 18 minutes, and said Freebie's offer would reduce the village's net cost to about $530,000 after a $60,000 advertising credit and a guaranteed $75,000 in fare revenue.

Jason Bagley, a partner at Circuit Transit, framed his company's proposal around long-term fiscal sustainability and data-driven operations. Bagley argued that the village should plan for the possibility that FDOT grant funding may not be permanent and urged diversification of revenue through private partnerships and hotel contributions. "What we're offering isn't simply a vendor change. It's an opportunity to elevate the program," he said, and recommended adjusting vehicle deployment based on demand data, including adding a fourth vehicle during evening peaks.

Both proposers described safety and transparency tools. Circuit highlighted telematics and dash-cam monitoring and said it charges based on delivered driver hours rather than a flat monthly fee. Freebie emphasized an existing in-house technology platform, a public dashboard with live KPIs, and local marketing integrations that the company says have helped grow ridership.

Residents and employees pressed both companies on operational details and costs. Anna, a morning driver for the incumbent, told the workshop: "There's no way that we can... a good service will be given with only two cars on the road," describing consistently high demand for morning and mid-day runs and calls for more vehicles during peak periods. A long-time user, Alan Peterson, said he relies on the service for nights out and visitor trips and called the program "great for the community."

Questions also focused on how the proposals translate to taxpayer exposure. Staff explained that Freebie's lower net figure reflects guaranteed ad and fare revenue assumptions, while Circuit's proposal included different revenue estimates and an alternative pricing model. Saunders and staff noted the current service is supported in part by an FDOT grant that specifies service hours and minimum vehicle deployment, and they said contracts include termination-for-convenience clauses if grant funding ends.

Vice Mayor Sharon Mahoney explained why the item was pulled from a prior council agenda for a workshop: she said council members had not received both proposals early enough to review them and wanted the community to see both options before council action. "We have the ultimate decision and if I'm not given both options... that's not fair," she said.

No formal votes or motions occurred at the workshop. Saunders said staff will post the proposals on the village website for broader public review and that all five council members will review the presentation before the council votes. The council has not yet scheduled a decision; staff and proposers indicated follow-up negotiations would occur after council selection.

The village and both bidders provided technical and financial details for further review; councilors, drivers and residents said they expect any forthcoming council discussion to weigh capacity at peak hours, fiscal exposure if the FDOT grant is not renewed, and options to secure private or advertising revenue to support additional vehicles.